Still Waters
by ladyofbree
Summary: After many years pass in the Blessed Realm, Frodo finds himself longing to see Sam once again, and to finally put an end to the endless call of the sea


Still Waters  
  
With eyes closed and fingers resting within the cool sands of the shore, Frodo took in a deep breath as the waters of the sea drew up around his feet, slowly pulling away and falling back once more. A soft scent lingered upon the wind. a familiar fragrance of a place he so longed to see once again. The light mist of the sea fell upon his face and he opened his eyes looking far out beyond the horizon as the sun began to rise, casting shadows of soft shaded hues upon the vast ocean before him. A call of a gull rang out and Frodo drew his eyes to the sky watching in silence as the bird glided to and fro, eyes in constant watch for a meal below. A dark shadow then rose in the distance. Another ship. sails unfurled, flowing like silken clouds drifting along the barren way. It shown like a star as it turned to port shimmering along the water. Frodo sighed, his lips parting slightly as tears began to well forth within his eyes.  
  
"The Shire." Frodo whispered softly to himself. If only he could bare himself upon that ship and sail away back home, the place where he rightfully belonged. In all the years he had been upon the shores of the Blessed Realm, no amount of elven splendor could take away the pain still within his heart for leaving his dear Sam behind. He then drew his hand to his left shoulder, throbbing with a dull aching pain. It was October, the leaves had begun to turn to golden browns and reds, yet his wound still troubled him. even here, where he thought he would be free of his burdens at last. Frodo drew his arms tight about his legs, bringing them close to his chest before resting his chin upon his knees. Curls of dark chestnut brown hung loose around his brow as he watched the elegant ship come to the quay on the distant shore. A gentle breeze touched him lightly and he looked on to the small figures slowly making their way from the ship into the open arms of family and friends eager at their arrival. Tears fell along Frodo's face and he turned away closing his eyes thinking back to the day when he took Sam into his arms at the Grey Havens, kissing his brow, bidding him a final farewell. Tears were in his eyes as Frodo pulled away, but he would not let them come forth. Sam was strong, stronger than he, if he did not know himself. Oh, how he wished he would have told Sam where they were really going, but alas. He knew that Sam would talk him out of leaving, and seeing the pain within his heart, would tear at him so. just as it did now. Frodo opened his eyes, warm tears falling along his blushed cheeks. A voice then fell upon his ears and he turned about to see two elven men walking in stride, smiles held on their faces as they talked of ages old. Frodo nodded his head at their passing and they returned the gesture continuing on their way. The warm glow of the rising sun soon fell upon Frodo's face and he drew himself away from the shore sitting in the dew covered grass near the top of the hill he so often stood aloft on, watching as the silver moon rose high into the night.  
  
Time seemed to have no meaning here. A day could feel like minutes, and a week a passing year. How much time had passed since leaving the Shire he did not know, but within his every moment he knew nothing, but the feeling of being along. Bilbo was gone, passing with the coming of the recent spring. He was aged far beyond his normal years, but it was his time, his choosing to leave on that day. Frodo could feel a lump rising high into his throat and he choked back another flood of tears while burying his face deep into his knees, dampening his breeches with his heartfelt cries. His fingers grasped tightly to the ground pulling up the grass as he lost himself within his sorrow, the pain clutching at his weary heart. He lost himself within memories from days long gone, holding onto smiles of faces so far from his trembling grasp. His hands reached out before him, shaking, longing to touch them all once again. Could no one feel his pain as many voices and soft laughter passed him by, while many elven lords and ladies walked along the grass, joyous with their reunions at the quay? Whispers soon fell into silence as the last of those who sailed hither went on their way. Frodo then drew his eyes to the water, which seemed to stand still as it always did, while a ship bore out into the sea fading at last over the horizon. Slowly the white ship bore off into the western sky, fading into the grey mist and vanishing with a glimmer that shone brightly before it was lost. Where the ships went he did not know, for they never returned to that land. A vision then came to him of when he looked back upon the shores of Middle Earth as he sailed away from the Havens. the vision of Sam standing at the quay, his face absent of all expression as he raised a hand on high, while he sailed away leaving him alone in the Shire, with naught but Merry and Pippin to accompany him on the long journey home. His heart fell heavy and he buried his head back into his knees clutching his ankles tightly with the grasp of his nine fingers.  
  
"Sam. what have I done? Will you ever forgive me?" Frodo said with hushed breath. "I can not bear this all alone."  
  
"And you shant." A voice seemed to call from his dreams. So long had it been since that voice fell upon his ears.  
  
"You are not alone, Mr. Frodo sir." The voice called again. "I'm here, I've come."  
  
"Sam?" Frodo whispered softly, lifting his head from his knees. Did he dare turn around only to find emptiness before him, having been teased once more with his foolish dreams? Frodo breathed in deeply and his heart raced within his chest. No more words were spoken; the still waters of the sea lay before him as a familiar scent came to him again. It was indeed the soft and sweet fragrance of the Shire. A tender smile seemed to find a way upon his lips and he brought himself up from the ground staring out over the sea. For a moment his feet stood firm in place but then he turned and tears fell forth as he fell to his knees seeing the face of his dear friend standing before him, arms open wide. Sam rushed to Frodo and drew him into his arms, holding him close to his breast as he pulled his fingers through Frodo's hair. So long had he wished for this day. the day when he would come home to his master. Frodo pulled away, smiling brightly, tears flowing forth. He took Sam's face into his hands. His dark sandy hair had long turned to grey, yet his eyes still shone keen with shades of golden brown. Many winters had indeed passed, yet there before him lay the face of his dear Sam, his faithful companion to the very end.  
  
"Do my eyes deceive me?" Frodo cried with joy. "I waited upon this shore many a dawn longing for your return and now, here you are before me, when hope seemed so lost. How much time has fallen between us, since I last kissed your brow?" Frodo said quietly drying away the tears that had begun to fall along his dear friends cheeks.  
  
"Over sixty long years Mr. Frodo." Sam replied smiling. "Yet you look the same as the day you left. Time does indeed pass slowly in the Blessed Realm." Sam said grasping Frodo's hands into his own. "It is so nice to see you again Mr. Frodo."  
  
"And I you, Sam." Frodo replied softly. "You have come back to me at last, just when I need you most."  
  
"So it seems." Sam said as he took in a deep breath. "I stood near for some time watching with a saddened heart as you lost yourself within your tears. I too watched as the ship which bore me here sailed into the west, knowing with a heavy heart that I would never see the Shire again. Yet, now I am here, here by your side, and I promise not to let you go again."  
  
"Oh Sam!" Frodo said with a smile, drawing Sam within a fond embrace. He then pulled back, and winched, clutching his hand to his shoulder burning with a stabbing pain.  
  
"Mr. Frodo, sir." Sam replied his words falling quiet. "It can not be, your shoulder, not here in the Blessed Realm."  
  
"Aye Sam." Frodo said through tightened jaws. "Not all wounds can be fully healed, is what Gandalf said. Not even here. They are lessened in pain, but they still haunt me. At times I wondered what it was I truly left the Shire for, knowing now that the episodes would never really go away."  
  
"Do not trouble yourself with such thoughts." Sam quietly whispered, touching his hand to Frodo's shoulder, drawing his hand away. "Even back in the Shire I felt as though something was amiss with you every March and October. Now I know why. It pains me to know that all this time you were here alone without me at your side."  
  
"But there was Gandalf and Bilbo." Frodo said rubbing his shoulder lightly before setting his hand upon the ground. "They offered all they could, but they could not replace you dear Sam."  
  
"I can not imagine so." Sam beamed, smiling brightly from ear to ear. "But what of it, Mr. Frodo? Do they trouble you every year?"  
  
"They do." Frodo sighed. "Both the shoulder from the Morgul blade, and here." Frodo said pointing to his neck. "From that accursed spider's sting. Then again time seems to stand still on this lonely isle and I feel as though the torment lasts for an entire year." All fell silent and Sam looked on over the distant waters taking in a deep breath while watching Frodo draw his hand up to his shoulder once more.  
  
"How are they?" Sam said quietly. "Gandalf and old Mr. Bilbo I mean."  
  
"Gandalf is well." Frodo replied turning to Sam with a solemn look upon his face. "He laughs more than he talks as of late, but he is still the old wise wizard we both know."  
  
"And Bilbo?" Sam questioned, feeling a bit troubled with Frodo not mentioning his dear cousin.  
  
"Gone I am afraid." Frodo whispered. "With this passing spring."  
  
"Gone?" Sam asked softly. "He has passed on?"  
  
"Aye." Frodo said looking down to the ground. "It was his time. I know he so wished to see you dear Sam, but he told me that if he should pass, you would be coming soon enough to fill his place. I guess he seemed to know that your time would be at hand too." Frodo then grew quiet, listening as the sound of the waves rising and falling against the shore echoed within his ears. Sam drew himself close to Frodo's side, looking into the sunlit sky, listening to all that was around him, while closing his eyes.  
  
"I have heard that sound often." Sam said turning to Frodo. "The sound of the waves calling out to me in my dreams. Just as you once heard them too."  
  
"I did." Frodo replied with a faint whisper.  
  
"And what did they say to you then?" Sam quietly replied.  
  
"They were reaching out to me, making my heart long for the peace and tranquility of the sea." Frodo said softly. "Yet they took me away from everything I loved."  
  
"And what do they say now?" Sam said looking back out over the vast sea.  
  
"Nothing." Frodo whispered. "For what I missed the most has been returned to me now." 


End file.
